Willis h



(No Model.)

W. H. BELKNAP.

BASKET.`

NV PETERS, Phuln-Lilhoghphnr. Washmgon. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

wWILLIS II. BELKNAP,

OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

BASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent.' No. 356,301, datedJanuary 18, 1887.

Application filed October 6, 1,8516.

To all whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, WILLIs H. BELKNAI), a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, county andState of New York, have invented certainnew and useful Improveinents inWaste-Paper Baskets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to baskets or receptacles adapted to holdwaste-paper, 85e., and has forits object the production of a basket soconstructed that it may be folded up to occupy but little space when notin use.

The invention consists of a basket havinga central stem or handle whichpasses vertically through and projects beyond its lower end, abase-piece into which the lower end of the central stem is set, flexibleribs pivoted at their lower ends to the-central stem, short stretcherspivoted to the ribs, and a ring titted to slide on the central stem, bythe action of which the ribs are closed up against the stem and spreadout, a covering of suitable fabric placed over the ribs, and an insidelining, which, 'if desired, may be placed only over the stretchers toform a bottom for the basket; but to describe my invention moreparticularly I will now refer to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure lis a perspective View of my iinproved basket. Fig. 2 is avertical central section rshowing the basket open, and Fig. 3 is anoutside view of the basket closed.

In my improved folding basket I have adopted the construction ofumbrellas iuso far as the folding principle is concerned, but haveconsiderably departed from the shape and the prescribedproportions givento the vaiious parts of umbrellas in applying this principle ofconstruction to my purpose.

The handle and principal stay consists of the central stem, a, having anornamental upper end, b, which constitutes the handle proper. On thisstem,near its lower end,is secured the ring c, to which are pivoted theribsd d, and to the ribs, near their lower or pivoted ends, are hingedthe outer ends ofthe stretchers e e, the other ends of which are hingedto the sliding ringf. To form a receptacle of considerable depthrelatively to its diameter, the short stretchers e e are attached to theribs d d near their lower ends, and the ribs, when they are forced openby the stretchers, are caused to assume about a vertical position by thecovering g, which is secured to the ribs and so shaped that its sectionsfor a consider- Serial No4 215,453. (No model.)

able distance from the free ends of the ribs are about parallel, thusholding the upper parts of the ribs about parallel to one another and tothe central stem, a, while the lower parts assume a curved form. Aspringcatch, h, tiXed in the stem a, holds the sliding ringf down, asshown at Fig. 2, and this spring-catch,when pressed in, allows the ringf to be moved up, thereby closing the ribs d d against the centralstein, a., as shown at Fig. 3.

To uphold this basket,asuitably formed and ornamented base-block, z', isprovided, having a central hole in which the lower end of the stem a isplaced.

The base may be readily removed from the stem when the basket is foldedup, to facili tate packing, or when the basket is open, allowing it thento be used as a hanging basket.

To forni a bottom for the basket so that waste-paper and other thingsplaced therein will not become entangled between the stretchers e e, Icover these stretchers with a suitable fabric, j, and in the betterclass of goods made under this invention I propose to extend the liningjoverv the whole of the interior of the basket, thus also covering andhidingthe ribs d d.

This novel folding basket is light, strong, and durable, and is adaptedto be made very artistic by employing colored and figured cloths andsilks for the covering by drapery and by ornamented knobs attached tothe ends of the ribs.

Having now described my invention. what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

1. rIhe combination, with a folding basket ,composed of a central stem,ribs pivoted thereto, stretchers pivoted to the ribs and to a slidingring on the stem, and a fabric covering, of a supporting-base havingacentral hole, into which the lower end of the central stein is set,substantially as set forth.

2. In a folding basket, in combination, the stem c, ribs d d, stretcherse e, sliding ring f, covering g, liningj, and base-block t',substantially as set fort-h.

In witness ,whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at New York,-county andState of New lYork, this 25th day of September, 1886.

VILLIS BELKNAP.

In presence OIL- -ALERED SHEDLooK,

H. D. WILLIAMS.

IOC

